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cubest by the cube orchestra 10 tracks clocking in at 36 minutes means an average of three minutes and 36 seconds per tune, which means that Cubest 008 officially qualifies as the long-awaited (in my world) album of pop songs!

This is largely due to the session we did on 25th March 2015, where we consciously attempted to curtail each piece to the three-minute mark. Not for my benefit particularly. Well, maybe. Our conclusion was that it takes us three minutes to each find our place in a track, before it takes shape properly, so I can only assume that subsequent sessions will produce our normal lengthy musical journeys, now that my goal has been achieved ...

So here is it, the Cube Orchestra pop album! Here are some 'sleeve notes' to accompany the tunes

Jump to Download link ... Back to Cubest series ...


When's The Last Post?

2015 03 25 - Sophie Scott: Flute; Daniel Souza: Flute, Harmonica; Sammy Weaver: Flute, Vocals; Dalila Rabih: Vocals; Kieran Gillick: Trumpet, Whistling; David Insua-Cao: Percussion; Ollie Owen: Guitar; Ramon Sanchez: Trumpet, Percussion; Jon Shepherd: Bass; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Percussion, iPad; Marcus Valentine: Keyboards

Easing us in is this sweet harmonica piece from Daniel Souza, with gentle accompaniment here and there. I think I pressured him into stepping up to the mic, but you've got to take any opportunity when you see it and the result was our shortest piece of the session. You can hear Marcus talking with someone near the end and commenting on missing playing on the tune. That's what happens with quick tunes, hesitate and the moment's gone

Another Bad Day

2015 03 25 - Sophie Scott: Flute; Daniel Souza: Flute; Sammy Weaver: Flute, Vocals; Dalila Rabih: Vocals; Kieran Gillick: Trumpet; David Insua-Cao: Percussion; Ollie Owen: Guitar; Ramon Sanchez: Trumpet, Percussion; Jon Shepherd: Bass; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Percussion, iPad; Marcus Valentine: Keyboards

Lively and upbeat, with vocals from Dalila and some good flute and trumpet playing. Although the lyrics mention bad days, the vibe is definitely positive and sunny. I love Dalila's "c'est la vie" at the end

Yip Yap Happy Clappy

2015 03 04 - Dalila Rabih: Vocals, Percussion; Chema Gala: Sax, Percussion; David Finch: Flute; Kieran Gillick: Trumpet; Jean-Michel Maheu: Guitar, Bass, Piano, Percussion; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, iPad, Keyboards; Jon Shepherd: Bass, Guitar; Marcus Valentine: Keyboards, Piano, Bass, Percussion; Plus contributions from the UWE Graphic Design Team

Another upbeat track. Good groove, despite some slightly dodgy drumming. It was a session where we kept swapping instruments. That's the official excuse for any less than perfect playing. My melodica is way up in the mix, echoey and distorted. It kinda fizzles out at one point, then picks up again with some yipping from Dalila and whistling from Kieran, before finishing properly

Bad Throat

2015 03 25 - Sophie Scott: Flute; Daniel Souza: Flute; Sammy Weaver: Flute, Vocals; Dalila Rabih: Vocals; Kieran Gillick: Trumpet, Whistling; David Insua-Cao: Percussion; Ollie Owen: Guitar; Ramon Sanchez: Trumpet, Percussion; Jon Shepherd: Bass; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Percussion, iPad; Marcus Valentine: Keyboards

Throaty vocals from Dalila, always up for experimenting, with some ace throaty stuff from Sammy too. Dark and mysterious bass line from Jon, lovely restrained drums from David and great whistling from Keiran, with the flutes adding atmosphere. My melodica's punching out some kind of hook, but I can never remember what I just played, so it varies throughout

Desperado

2015 03 04 - Dalila Rabih: Vocals, Percussion; Chema Gala: Sax, Percussion; David Finch: Flute; Kieran Gillick: Trumpet; Jean-Michel Maheu: Guitar, Bass, Piano, Percussion; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, iPad, Keyboards; Jon Shepherd: Bass, Guitar; Marcus Valentine: Keyboards, Piano, Bass, Percussion; Plus contributions from the UWE Graphic Design Team

If 'When's The Last Post?' sounded like it came out of a Western, then this could have been the title soundtrack. Dalila's on vocal duties again, while someone provides whoops and Chema knocks out his distinctive sax playing. He's so good at finding tunes. It ends kinda suddenly but with a flourish

Accord

2015 03 25 - Sophie Scott: Flute; Daniel Souza: Flute; Sammy Weaver: Flute, Vocals; Dalila Rabih: Vocals; Kieran Gillick: Trumpet; David Insua-Cao: Percussion; Ollie Owen: Guitar; Ramon Sanchez: Trumpet, Percussion; Jon Shepherd: Bass; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Percussion, iPad; Marcus Valentine: Keyboards

We had an army of flautists at hand and got them to start things off together in the key of F and this gentle piece emerged. Dalila and Kieran accompany the flutes, while David rumbles with the drums and Marcus plinks away on his keyboard. Someone coughs mid-way through. I love the incidentals. My melodica tries to find some kind of hook. Lovely ending with Ollie's guitar

Why? Why?

2015 03 25 - Sophie Scott: Flute; Daniel Souza: Flute; Sammy Weaver: Flute, Vocals; Dalila Rabih: Vocals; Kieran Gillick: Trumpet; David Insua-Cao: Percussion; Ollie Owen: Guitar; Ramon Sanchez: Trumpet, Percussion; Jon Shepherd: Bass; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Percussion, iPad; Marcus Valentine: Keyboards

The end of a session often produces something interesting. While some of us were packing away, Dalila sets things off with some more experimental vocals and Sammy responds. It's a nice interplay. It sounds like Ramon on drums and I like the way the speed picks up. That's what's so great about playing with musicians, things can change subtly or dramatically without a word. I like Dalila's laugh near the end

Just...

2015 03 04 - Dalila Rabih: Vocals, Percussion; Chema Gala: Sax, Percussion; David Finch: Flute; Kieran Gillick: Trumpet; Jean-Michel Maheu: Guitar, Bass, Piano, Percussion; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, iPad, Keyboards; Jon Shepherd: Bass, Guitar; Marcus Valentine: Keyboards, Piano, Bass, Percussion; Plus contributions from the UWE Graphic Design Team

Nice keyboards from Marcus and great bass line from Jon. Dalila delivers the theme with her usual panache. Ollie's playing is subtle but always intrinsic. The trumpet, flute and melodica work well together. It has a good ending

In The Mood To Play

2015 03 25 - Sophie Scott: Flute; Daniel Souza: Flute; Sammy Weaver: Flute, Vocals; Dalila Rabih: Vocals; Kieran Gillick: Trumpet; David Insua-Cao: Percussion; Ollie Owen: Guitar; Ramon Sanchez: Trumpet, Percussion; Jon Shepherd: Bass; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Percussion, iPad; Marcus Valentine: Keyboards

Piecemeal start from Marcus and Kieran while I provide the odd background tingle by sampling Marcus through my iPad. Then suddenly Dalila kicks things off with a quick and unexpected count-in and we're off on a jaunty sing-along, like the sun's out and all's right with the world. It seems to finish, but picks up again, finishes, then almost kicks off again. Classic

Took A Long Time (To See What The Truth Is)

2015 02 25 - Rhodri Karim: Bass, Piano, Percussion, Vocals; Chema Gala: Sax; Kieran Gillick: Trumpet; Jean-Michel Maheu: Guitar, Percussion; Ramon Sanchez: Trumpet, Percussion, Vocals; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, iPad; Jon Shepherd: Bass, Guitar, Percussion; Ollie Owen: Guitar; Marcus Valentine: Keyboards

I couldn't let Dalila get away with all the vocals, so to finish off I provide my own dodgy contribution. Growling bass from Rhodri, Ramon's distinctive drumming and good interplay between Ollie, Keiran and Marcus. It's a somewhat downbeat ending to an upbeat collection of tunes, but I like the mood and uncertain ending

With the 3-minute album goal achieved I can now get back to normality with the Cubest series, whatever that is ...
- keef chemistry

Download the zip file here (10 tracks @ 320kbps = 86mb):
https://orchestra.cubecinema.com/downloads/cubest008.zip
(The files need to be zipped before download. This may take a while, so please be patient ...)

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Last edited November 9, 2023 4:18 pm by Keefchemistry (diff)
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